Oh, ok, it’s not a bird picture.
No, I haven’t run out of images. Just happens that I’ve been sorting through the photo-library, and giving it a bit of Jenny Craig love and slimming it down by some 15 thousand also ran pics.
I came across this set, and thought it might be a change to share a little behind the image.
Because, there is more going on than at first would be noticed.
Backstory. Mr An Onymous and I were invited to a Nikon Camera Launch night at a Go-Kart track to try out some of Nikon’s latest products, and as we both had pre-ordered we did have a teensy vested interest in getting our hands on the gear.
At the time I was shooting a lot with the little Nikon V1, a much maligned camera on this very blogsite, but I had mellowed a bit.
Along with being able to use the cameras/lenses and flash, participants also got to do a few laps, to get the adrenalin pumping.
The area was divided up into various stations, each of which concentrated on one aspect or equipment style.
I chose to use the little VI and took the opportunity to get a hand on some of the small system lenses as well as a few of the normal F mount lenses.
I was working with some of the zoom lenses and shooting at the exit of a particularly tight corner on the circuit. Slow shutter speeds and large apertures were the go. From the island in the center of the corner the boys and girls where trying out the latest and greatest flash units.
It dawned on me that if I shot of a burst, then perhaps the flash from the other photographers would on occasion sync with me and I’d get a great look of the light coming from a side angle.
And.
It did.
Given there were about 10 people using flash at the time, I was able to get many bursts with at least one flash shot.
Add a slow shutter speed to give the feel of speed, and the rest was easy.
I like this one, as the limited spread of the flash has meant the front driver was not highlighted by the flash.
Who said photographing birds was tough.
Tech Specs.
Nikon V1, 70-200mm f/4, ISO 3200 1/30 @f/4
Enjoy.
It must have been a successful night as Mr An, still tells the story that the following day, I went out and bought a zoom lens for the little V1 🙂
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER - --doesn't mean I'm LOST 
I like it! Great use of other photogs flash to achieve the result. Love the concentration on the face of the driver behind!
The image would have been very different had you been using flash. Love your shutter speed here too! 1/30 combined with your PoV gives the perfect feel for the speed. It is the old mantra ‘photography is all about the light’ and you have used light superbly here.
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Heh, heh, my photolibrary does indeed have a few more genres that just another bird on stick. 🙂
This one is interesting as the flash obviously fired at the beginning of the exposure, Kind of front-curtain stuff.
I’ve another I might post where the flash is at the end of the exposure, and I got a much more useful rear-curtain style effect with the blur behind the subject.
Results wise I prefer this one as it gives a certain feel of competitive closing on the front kart.
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Well, that was different. An interesting use of others’ flashes, and slow speed to give the sense of the movement.
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Hello Eleanor, all good.
Different set of subjects for once. Flash has been a mainstay of much of my studio work from the beginning, so any chance I get to play about is always a pleasure.
I used to use a lot of flash for birds, but of recent years, have let it go, much preferring the more subtle results I might obtain from ambient light.
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Very clever photography David, another example of your remarkable photographic prowess, gained for your many years of experience and experimentation with light.
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Thanks Ashley, it was a bit of a fun night out and I was eager to try out some of the hardware on offer. Ended up using my old V1 for most of the evening. Even gave away a memory card I had bought along to another photographer who didn’t have one.
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I really like the dynamics of this capture. I’ve ben using other people’s flashes too but what I enjoy the most is “stealing portraits”. I’ve got a nice collection of portraits I made when spotting professional photographers at work with models, newly weds, etc. The long “birding” lens does a great job with people too. Naturally, they are for my eyes only, yet so much fun…
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G’day Adam, it was pretty much a laid back fun night. As I said to David, I’ve got another one that shows the ‘movement’ behind the subject, might put it up next Saturday.
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